Even the most careful person is not immune from falling, caused by slippery roads, dizziness, inattention or someone's malicious intent. As a result, any part of the body can be affected. According to statistics, one of the most common injuries is a shoulder injury combined with a fracture, dislocation, hematoma, and other injuries of bone or soft tissues.
General Injury Information
The shoulders are a complex system that allows the arms to perform various movements.
Most of the area is occupied by muscles, ligaments and tendons. The humerus acts as a frame, connecting to the radius at its base.
A bruise is a common injury that damages soft tissues and blood vessels, but does not break the integrity of the skin.
More often occurs when falling, less often - due to impact. Mainly observed:
- young guys andgirls involved in sports, dancing;
- in childhood, when the instinct of self-preservation is still not sufficiently developed;
- in winter, due to ice.
Accompanying a severe bruise of the shoulder are often open and closed fractures, displacements and other injuries.
Depending on the severity, the damage resolves on its own or the victim needs medical attention.
Symptoms
Signs of a bruised shoulder can't always be distinguished from other fall injuries. Indirectly indicate its appearance can:
- pain;
- hematomas and bruises;
- inflammation;
- hardening the area;
- swelling;
- numbness;
- decrease in performance of the humerus.
Do not forget that severe injuries often occur in combination, so only diagnostics will help to accurately diagnose. If, after a shoulder injury, a hand does not rise during a fall, self-treatment is unacceptable!
First Aid
If you suspect a shoulder injury, you must:
- Examine the victim's hand for protruding bone fragments.
- Ask the person to move their hand, fingers.
- Abrasions and other open wounds should be treated with an antiseptic to prevent further infection.
- Fix the patient's hand. To do this, it is bent at the elbow at a right angle and secured with a scarf or towel around the neck.
- Apply ice wrapped in a handkerchief or other cloth to the sore spot. The duration must not exceed20 minutes. Repeat every couple of hours.
- If there is severe pain, give an analgesic (although it is better to do without it) and call a medical team.
Sometimes after the injury, the patient may feel satisfactory, but after 1 - 2 days the condition worsens. Then you need to visit a traumatologist, surgeon or orthopedist.
Severity of injury
By the nature of the damage, several degrees of shoulder injury are distinguished:
- 1st. Causes slight discomfort when moving the limb. May be combined with small scratches at the site of impact. Does not require treatment and resolves in 3-4 days.
- 2nd. In this case, swelling appears at the site of injury, then hematomas. Painful sensations appear immediately and intensify when the arm is raised.
- 3rd. The pathological process is localized in the subcutaneous region and affects the muscles or ligaments. Often diagnosed together with shoulder dislocation.
- 4th. Characterized by a complete lack of sensation in the shoulder and requires urgent medical attention.
Only the mild form does not need therapy. If a shoulder injury hurts, what to do in this case, the doctor will tell you and prescribe the necessary drugs to alleviate the condition. Sometimes surgery may be required.
Examination
In most cases, a doctor's consultation is sufficient for diagnosis.
At the initial examination of the patient in detailask questions about the incident that resulted in the injury, symptoms, and any additional pathologies.
After this, an external examination of the patient is carried out with palpation of the painful area, during which the doctor will be able to detect:
- bone shards;
- joint deformity;
- scratches;
- hematomas;
- swelling;
- loss of sensation.
If severe damage to muscles, vessels, ligaments, bones and joints is suspected, the patient will be assigned an instrumental examination, including the following methods:
- X-ray.
- MRI.
- CT.
- Ultrasound.
- Arthrography.
- Artoscopy.
- Angiography.
Laboratory tests are usually not very informative. They are carried out in rare cases, namely when:
- unsatisfactory general condition of the patient;
- suspected infection of the wound cavity with subsequent infection of the joints, blood, etc.;
- preparing for surgery.
Such studies include:
- clinical and biochemical blood test;
- coagulogram.
If the pain from a bruise does not go away within 3 days and gets worse, a visit to the doctor is a must.
Medication use
Cold compresses should be used on the first day after the incident, then an ointment is recommended for bruises and injuries. It could be:
- "Troxevasin".
- "Bruise-OFF".
- "Finalgon" and others.
You can use the Nanoplast forte warming patch.
Open wounds are lubricated:
- levomecol;
- streptocide;
- chlorhexidine;
- "Rescuer";
- green;
- iodine;
- fucorcin, etc.
Before using medicines, you should consult your doctor.
Grandma's recipes
Today, there are many traditional medicines for the treatment of a shoulder bruise when falling at home. They have been passed down from generation to generation since ancient times and have been quite effective in combating painful injuries.
Based on numerous patient reviews, the most effective of them are distinguished:
- Ointment for bruises and injuries from burdock root. Raw materials are thoroughly washed and dried with a towel. Then grind in a blender or on a fine grater and pour a glass of sunflower or olive oil. Infuse for a day, then warm over low heat for 15 minutes, avoiding boiling. Strain and place in the refrigerator. When injured, rub into a sore spot or apply as a compress.
- wormwood. Freshly picked grass is crushed to obtain a healing juice, which is used to lubricate bruised places.
- Laundry soap. Take a small bar and grind on a grater. Combine with 30 g of camphor powder and 30 g of ammonia. Pour the mass with 1 cup of turpentine and lamp oil, mix well and lubricate the injured areas untildisappearance of symptoms. Stored in a dark, cold place.
- Anti-inflammatory compress. In 500 ml of water add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of vinegar (9%). They take gauze or natural fabric, moisten it in the resulting solution and apply it to painful places.
Treatment of a bruised shoulder should be carried out after examination by a specialist. Whether or not to use such prescriptions is a personal matter for everyone, but in order to exclude severe pathologies, you need to know your diagnosis.
Recovery period
When a shoulder injury is severe, it can take several months to treat a bruised shoulder from a fall at home. For a faster recovery, the patient is recommended:
- paraffin therapy;
- UHF;
- massage;
- physiotherapy exercises.
In order to restore the motor activity of the joint and strengthen the muscles of the injured shoulder, the doctor will select a set of necessary exercises, including:
- forward bends and circular movements with arms;
- clenching hands into a fist;
- breeding of shoulder blades;
- shoulder raise.
All movements should be smooth. With sharp jerks, the condition of the joint may worsen and the appearance of severe pain.
It is forbidden to perform arbitrary movements. Many exercises are contraindicated for the undeveloped arm.
If all doctor's recommendations are followed, the prognosis is usually favorable.
In severe trauma (combined withfracture, etc.) further development of events will depend on many factors.
Often, after a cure, a person cannot perform his usual actions with an injured hand. This especially affects athletes whose career ends after a bad fall.
Complications
You can not self-medicate if, in parallel with a bruised shoulder, a hand does not rise when falling. It is allowed to resort to such methods only after a doctor's examination, otherwise the injury can lead to such serious complications as:
- Accumulation of excess blood in the muscle.
- Pathology of the articular capsule.
- Bursitis.
- Hemarthrosis.
- Sepsis.
- Necrosis of limb.
Often, these consequences manifest themselves as a result of severe injuries or late visits to the doctor.
In most cases, a bruised shoulder resolves without a trace within a few days or weeks after the injury. With strong falls, the outcome may not be so favorable. Additional damage to bones, joints, muscles and tendons automatically extends the duration of treatment indefinitely. Often the functionality of the limb can still be restored, but not always in full.
